SDHB, SDHC, and SDHD Mutations in Head and Neck Paragangliomas

Abstract

Head and neck paragangliomas (HNPs) are characterized by the development of benign, slow-growing, and highly vascularized tumors that derive from the neuroectoderm. The most common diseased state of HNPs is the neoplastic enlargement of their components. Most HNPs are hormonally silent and are clinically recognized by their anatomical pressure effects on adjacent structures. The carotid body is the major site, followed by the jugular, tympanic, and vagal paraganglia.